Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-09-02

as easily as this world can comfort broken
heart And yet you have been comforted
How was it done Did Christ come to you
and say /: "Get your mind of this go out
and breathe tie fresh air plunge deeper into
business &" No. There was a minute when
he came to you-perhaps in the watches Of
the night, perhaps in your place of business,
perhaps along the street-and he breathed
something into your soul that gave peace,
rest, infinite quiet so that you could take out
the photograph OF the departed one and look
into the eyes and the face of the dear one,
and say: "It is all right; she. is better of !;
[ would not call her back. Lord, l thank
thee that thou hast comforted my poor
heart.n
There are Christian parents here who are
willing to testify to the power of this Gospel
to comfort Your son had just graduated
from school or college and was going into
business, and the Lord took him. Or your
daughter had just graduated from the young
ladies' ssmiiaiy and you thought she was
going to be a useful woman and of long life;
DuJ Une LORD TOOK ner ana you were tempted
to say: "All this culture of twenty years for
nothlngW Or the little child came home
from school with the hot fever that stopped
not for the agonized prayer OF for the skill
full physician, and the little child was taken.
Or the babe was lifted out of your arms by
some quick epidemic, and you stood wonder
ing why God ever gave you that child at all
II so soon he was to take it away And yet
yeu are not repiiiing, you are not fretrul you
are not fighting against God.
What has enabled you to stand all the
triall "Oh," you say, 81 took the medicine
that God gave my sick SOUL In my distress
l threw myself at the feet Of a sympathizing
God, and when | was too weak to pray or to
look up he breathed into me peace that |
think must be the foretaste of that Heaven
where there is neither d tear, nor a farewell,
nor a grave" Come, all We who have been
out to the grave to weep there-come, all ye
comfccted souls, get up off your knees, Is
there no power in this Gospel to soothe the
heart2 Is there no power in this religion to
quiet the worst paroxysm of grief! There
comes up an answer from comforted widow
hood and orphanage and childlessnesS, say
ing: AYE, aye, we are witneSsesln
Again, remark that We are witnesses Of
the TACT that religion has power to give COM
posure In the last moment. Shall never foy-
get the first time | confronted death. Wo
went across the cornfelds in the country.
was led by my fathers hand and we came to
the farm house were the bereavement had
come and we saw the crowd of wagons and
carriages; but there was one carriage that
especially attracted my boyish attention, and
1t had black plumes. Isaid: whats thatt
what's thatl Why those black tassels at the
topF, and after it was explained to me, was
lifted up to look upon the bright face of an
aged Christian woman, who three days before
had parted in triumph. The whole scene
made an impression never forgot.
In our sermons and in our lay exhortations
we are very apt, when we want to bring illus
trationS of dying triumph, to go back to some
distinguished personage-to ohm Knox or
Harriet Newell But l want you for wit
neSSes.
want to knew if you have ever seen any
hing to make you believe that the religion OF
Christ can give composure in the final hour.
Now, in the courts, attorney, jury and judge
will never admit mere hearsay. They de.
mand that the witness must have seen with
his own eyes, or heard with his own ears, and
SO l ain critical in my examination OF you
now, and want to know whether you have
seen or heard anything that makes you be-
lieve that the religion OF Christ gives comfort
IN the final hour,
"Oh, yes you say, 81 saw my father and
mother depart. There was a great difference
in their deathbeds. Standing by the one we
felt more veneration. By the other there was
more tenderness" Before the one you bowed
perhaps in awe. In the other case you felt as
if you would like to go along with her. How
did they feel in that last hour! How did they
seem to acts Were they very much fright
enedi Did they take hold of this world with
both hands as though they did not want to
give it up9 "Oh, no." you say, mo, l remem-
Der as though it were yesterday; she had
kind word for us all, and there were a few
mementoes distributed among the children,
and then she told us how kind we must be to
our father in his loneliness and then she
kissed us goodby and went asleep as a child in
a cradle"
What made her so composed9 Natural
couragel NO. you say; 'mother was very
hn 0trriar ipG,lI fN fhn
side of the road she would cry out. She was
always rather weakly What then, gave
her composurei Was it because she did not
care much for you and the pang of parting
was not great3 "Oh," you say, ''she showerd
upon US a wealth'of affection; no mother ever
loved her children more than mother loved
us. She showed it by the way she nursed US
when we were sick, and she toiled for us until
her strength gave out" What, then, was it
that gave her compoSure in the last hour9
Do not hide it. Be frank and let me know.
"Oh,n you say, ''it was because she was so
good. She made the Lord her portion, and
she had faith that she would go straight to
glory, and that we should all meet her at last
at the foot of the throne"
Here are people who say: II saw Chris
tian brother die, and he triumphed" And
some one else: II saw a Christian sister die,
and she triumphed.n Some one else will say:
II saw Christian daughter die and she
triumphed." Come, all ye who have seen
the last moments of a Christian, and give
testimony in this cause ON trial. Uncover
your heads, put your hand on the old family
Bible from which they used TO read the
promises and promise in the presence of
high heaven that you will tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth
With what you have seen with your
own eyes, and from what you have
heard with your own ears, is there power in
this Gospel to give calmness and triumph in
the last exigency 2 The response comes frcn
all sides, from young, and old, and middle
aged "We are witnesses ~
You see, my friends, have not put before
you an abstraction, or a chimera, or anything
like guess work. present you atlidavits OF
the best men and women, living and dead
Two witnesses in court will establish fact.
Here are not two witnesses but thousands of
wltnesSes-on earth millions of witnesses, and
in heaven great multitude of witnesses that
no man can number, testifying that there is
power in this religion to convert the soul, to
give comfort in trouble, and to afford COM
posure in the last hour.
If ten men should come to you when you
are sick with appalling slchness, ana say
they had the same sickness, and took q
certain medicine and it cured them, you
would probably take it. Now, suppose ter
other men should come up and say: I'VE
don't believe there is anything in that medi
cine" ":Well," l say; "have you ever tried itF
"No never tried it, but don't believe
there is anything in it," OF course you dis
credit their testimony, The skeptic may
come and say: There is no power in YOU
religion" "Have your ever tried ltE' mo
no.S "Then avaunt" Let me take the tes
timony of the millions of souls that have beer
converted to God and comforted in trial ant
solaced in the last hour. We will take theil
testimony as they cry "We are witnessesr
Some time ago Prof. Henry, of Washing
ton, discovered a new star, and the tiding
sped by submarine telegraph and all th'
new star. Oh, hearer; looking out through
the darkness of your soul, canst thol
see bright light beaming on thees "Wheref
you say, "Where2 How can find itF" Lool
along by the line of the cross of the Son o
God Do Won not see il trembling with al